2006 Toyota Avalon

I WAS DRIVING MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON LIMITED WHEN THE OIL LINE APPARENTLY LET GO SPEWING OIL ALL OVER THE ENGINE CAUSING IT TO SMOKE. ALL THE OIL DRAINED FROM THE ENGINE AS A RESULT, CREATING AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD. THE TOYOTA DEALER THAT REPAIRED THE LINE MENTIONED THAT THERE WAS A BULLETIN FROM TOYOTA ALERTING DEALERS TO THE PROBLEM BUT IT IS NOT A RECALL. A REVIEW OF EDMUNDS AND OTHER WEBSITES SHOWS A LONG LIST OF COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SPECIFIC ENGINE FAILURE. *TR

I WAS TRAVELING ON THE NY I-87 IN MY 2006 TOYOTA AVALON FOR APPROXIMATELY 30 MINUTES WHEN THE "CHECK ENGINE" LIGHT ILLUMINATED. WITHIN A MINUTE OR SO, THE "CHECK OIL" LIGHT STARTED BLINKING SLOWLY AT FIRST, THEN AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS IT WAS ON CONTINUOUSLY. BY THIS TIME I HAD PULLED OFF INTO A GAS STATION. AS I WAS PULLING INTO THE STATION THE ENGINE WAS MAKING A LOUD CLICKING NOISE. AFTER IT WAS PARKED, I CHECKED THE DIPSTICK AND THERE WAS NO OIL REMAINING IN THE ENGINE. THE UNDERSIDE OF THE CAR, INCLUDING INSIDE OF WHEELS AND BRAKES WAS COMPLETELY COATED WITH OIL AS WELL AS THE BACK OF THE TRUNK. PRESUMABLY FROM THE SPRAY UNDERNEATH WHILE TRAVELING @ 65-70MPH. I THEN PURCHASED 3 QUARTS OF OIL, PUT IT IN THE ENGINE AND IT DRAINED ONTO THE GROUND. THE MECHANIC STATED THERE IS A PIN HOLE IN THE RUBBER SECTION OF THE OIL LINE. THE USE OF A RUBBER HOSE FOR A PRESSURIZED FLAMMABLE LIQUID SYSTEM IN THIS LOCATION IS ABSOLUTELY RECKLESS. AT A MINIMUM, IT SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF ARMORED OR SHIELDED HOSE. I'M AMAZED THE CAR DIDN'T START ON FIRE FROM BEING DOUSED WITH FIVE QUARTS OF OIL LEAKING FROM THE RUPTURED HOSE. THE SERVICE PERSON AT THE DEALERSHIP INDICATED THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH 2006 AVALONS AND HE COULDN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THERE HASN'T BEEN A RECALL ISSUED. THE ENGINE REPAIRS CAUSED BY THIS DEFECT WILL COST ME UP TO $5000. TODAY I FOUND AT LEAST A 1000 COMPLAINTS REGARDING THIS SAME ISSUE ON CARCOMPLAINTS.COM AND ABOUTAUTOMOBILE.COM. I WOULD HATE TO SEE A DEATH RESULT IN THIS ISSUE CAUSED BY FIRE DUE TO HOT OIL. *TR

CAR HAS MAJOR OIL LEAKAGE ON MY 300+ MILE DRIVE DOWN TO LA FROM SAN JOSE. THAT MORNING, THE CAR IS DRY AND FINE. THE CAR HAS ALWAYS BEEN MAINTAINED BY THE DEALER. THERE WAS NO INDICATION OF OIL LOSS. THE OIL LIGHT DID NOT EVEN GO ON. LUCKILY WE TOOK A PIT STOP AT COALINGA, WHERE WE NOTICE BURNING SMELL AND SMOKE WAS EVERY WHERE (AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED). WHEN I CHECKED THE OIL LEVEL, THERE WAS NO OIL LEFT AS INDICATED ON THE DIPSTICK. THE CAR WAS TOWED TO THE NEAREST TOYOTA, WHICH DID NOT BELIEVE THAT THERE'S A PENDING TSB ON THIS LINE, SO THEY CHARGED US FOR REPLACING IT. UP UNTIL NOW, I'M AFRAID TO TAKE THE CAR FOR LONG DISTANCE DRIVE. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE WAS DONE DUE TO LACK OF OIL. AFTER I GOT HOME, I CONTACTED LOCAL DEALER, BUT THEY REFUSE TO LOOK AT IT, UNLESS I PUT OUT MONEY FOR THE DIAGNOSTIC. MY COMPLAINT AND CONCERN IS THAT THE PART THAT GOT REPLACED IS THE SAME PART THAT FAILED. SINCE THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE, I'M AFRAID THIS PROBLEM WILL REPEAT AGAIN IN ABOUT ANOTHER 44000 MILES, WHICH THE CAR IS ALREADY OUT OF WARRANTY. ALSO, THE OIL LIGHT NEVER CAME ON, SO IT PROVES VERY DANGEROUS WHILE DRIVING ON THE LONG TRIP. *TR

AVALON LIMITED 3.2L V6 * AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION * 72,900 MILES WELL, THIS IS MY 3RD TOYOTA, THE CAR WAS RUNNING FINE UP UNTIL THURSDAY NIGHT WHEN I STARTED THE CAR I HEARD A CRANKY FAN LIKE NOISE, I DID NOT KNOW WHAT IT WAS AFTER I DROVE SHOPPING AND CAME BACK AFTER 2-3 MILES AND PARKED THE CAR ON MY DRIVEWAY IN THE DARK. NEXT MORNING WHEN I PULLED MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY THE NOISE CONTINUED AND I SAW A POOL OF ENGINE OIL ALL OVER, I CALLED THE DEALER IMMEDIATELY AND SURPRISINGLY THEY OFFERED TO REPAIR THE CAR THE SAME DAY (SAME DAY APPOINTMENTS-NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE EVEN FOR JUST OIL CHANGES) AFTER TAKING A LOOK THEY SAID THE OIL LINE NEEDS TO BE FIXED AND COST WOULD BE $450 FOR A HALF DAYS WORK. I CALLED BACK THE EVENING AND WAS TOLD NOW THEY CALLED TOYOTA AS THEY DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS WRONG BUT HAVE NOT HEARD FROM TOYOTA SO I WONT GET MY CAR UP UNTIL AFTER LABOR DAY WEEKEND- (HAD TO GET A RENTAL FOR A WEEK) NEXT WEEK, THEY TOLD BE THE GEAR SHAFT CRACKED AND GASKETS NEED REPLACEMENT AND A 16 HRS JOB AND WOULD COST APPROX $6000 TO REPAIR "BUT TOYOTA WILL COVER 50%" EVEN THOUGH I AM OUT OF 60,000 MILES WARRANTY. I DID SOME RESEARCH AND FOUND THIS IS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT. I WALKED IN TO DEALER TO SEE MY CAR AND THE MECHANIC SHOWED ME THE BROKEN PART AND TOLD ME TOYOTA HAS SINCE REDESIGNED THIS PART SO IT DOES NOT BREAK AND CAUSE SUDDEN OIL LEAKS- ONCE THE NEW PART IS REPLACED I SHOULD NOT EXPECT MORE SIMILAR PROBLEMS- I AM KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED. I CALLED TOYOTA AND THEY MADE A NOTE OF MY PROBLEM BUT SAID I HAVE TO GET THE NUMBER OF THE TOYOTA REGIONAL MANAGER FROM THE DEALER WHO SAID HE CANNOT LET ME TALK DIRECTLY DUE TO" BUSINESS RELATIONSHIP WITH HIM". I TOLD THEM ITS NOT FAIR FOR THE CUSTOMERS TO PAY FOR THE MANUFACTURING FAULTS OF TOYOTA. FINALLY THE "HIDDEN" TOYOTA REGIONAL MANAGER OFFERED TO SETTLE FOR PAYING 2/3 RD FOR MY CAR'S REPAIR. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT OTHERS DRIVING THE AVALON AND A BIG COVER-UP BY TOYOTA. *TR

EXPERIENCED A LEAK IN THE "VVTI" OIL LINE TO THE REAR CYLINDER BANK IN THIS TRANSVERSE MOUNTED V6 ENGINE AT 78,000 MILES. FORTUNATELY, THIS WAS DISCOVERED BEFORE ENGINE FAILURE OR DAMAGE TO SURROUNDING EQUIPMENT OCCURRED. SEARCHING ONLINE, HAVE FOUND OTHERS WERE NOT SO FORTUNATE. THIS PROBLEM IS A SAFETY CONCERN BECAUSE IT COULD LEAD TO SUDDEN ENGINE FAILURE AS WELL AS THE POTENTIAL FOR ENGINE FIRE AS OIL LEAKS ON HOT PARTS. THE REPAIR COST WAS $202 FOR LABOR. TOYOTA PAID FOR PARTS NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR AS PART OF A CUSTOMER SATISFACTION RESPONSE AFTER A COMPLAINT WAS MADE. THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL TO REPLACE THIS PART, AS MY RESEARCH ONLINE REVEALS IT TO BE OCCURRING TO MANY PEOPLE WHEN THEIR CARS ARE OVER 70,000 MILES AND THEREFORE OUT OF THE NORMAL WARRANTY PERIOD. THIS IS CLEARLY A DEFECT AND NOT A NORMAL WEAR ITEM. *TR

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2006 TOYOTA AVALON. ON SEPTEMBER 4, 2009, HE STATED THAT THERE WAS A RETURN FUEL LINE IN THE FUEL PUMP AND WAS AT RISK OF CAUSING A FIRE IF THE LINE WERE TO BREAK. HE ALSO OBSERVED THAT THERE WAS AN OIL LEAK ON THE FLOOR AND CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS NO OIL ON THE DIPSTICK AND A LARGE AMOUNT OF OIL LEAKED ONTO THE EXHAUST PIPE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER. THE DEALER STATED THAT THEY WOULD REPAIR THE VEHICLE PER THE EXTENDED WARRANTY AND THAT THERE WERE NO RELATED RECALLS. THE PART NECESSARY TO REPAIR THE VEHICLE IS ON BACK ORDER. THE CONTACT IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE SAFETY RISK AND THE POSSIBILITY THAT A FIRE COULD HAVE OCCURRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGES WERE 77000.

I WAS RUNNING MY AIR CONDITIONER WHEN SUDDENLY IT STOPPED WORKING AND I RECEIVED A CHECK AIR CONDITIONER. I ALSO HEARD A CLICKING UNDER THE HOOD. I TOOK THE CAR IN TO TOYOTA AND THE SERVICE ADVISOR IMMEDIATELY NEW THE PROBLEM, THE VVT, AN OIL VALVE, RUPTURED AND THIS IS ONE OF THE COMMON PROBLEMS WITH THE AVALON. I DIDN'T KNOW AT THE TIME, BUT APPARENTLY THIS WILL DUMP MOST OF THE OIL FROM THE VEHICLE. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON TO INDICATE THAT THE OIL PRESSURE WAS LOW OR THAT THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE ENGINE. THE VVT WAS FIXED AND I DROVE OFF ONLY TO RETURN DUE TO AN UNFAMILIAR NOISE UNDER THE HOOD. COME TO FIND OUT DUE TO THE VVT VALVE RUPTURE AND THE DUMPING OF OIL, THE CAM WAS DESTROYED AND NEEDS TO BE REPLACED AT A COST OF $ 5600.00. TOYOTA IS THE ONLY PLACE THIS CAR HAS BEEN SERVICED. IF THE SERVICE ADVISOR KNOWS THE PROBLEM BEFORE THE TECH PERSON LOOKS AT YOUR CAR, SOUNDS LIKE A VERY ALL TOO FAMILIAR PROBLEM FOR THERE NOT TO BE A RECALL ON THIS PART. *TR